Disney and Universal claim Midjourney uses their IP to train its AI software without permission|Coolcaesar|CC BY-SA 4.0
Disney and Universal have joined forces to sue AI image generator Midjourney, accusing the startup of “blatantly incorporating and copying” their iconic characters.
The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Los Angeles, claims Midjourney used the studios’ intellectual property to train its AI without permission.
The court filings include side-by-side comparisons of iconic Disney and Universal characters such as Yoda, Darth Vader, Shrek, Minions, Homer Simpson, and the Frozen princess Elsa, alongside their AI-generated versions.
Filed in Los Angeles, the suit says Midjourney’s practices threaten to unravel the core protections of US copyright law. America’s TV and film industry, valued at $229 billion, supports roughly 2.3 million American jobs.
Why it matters?
The case marks the first major legal action by Hollywood studios against generative AI. It follows similar moves by authors, artists and news outlets against companies like OpenAI and Anthropic.
Meanwhile, many filmmakers and music studios are increasingly adapting AI into their works or negotiating license deals.